Follow up
J.N.C. Dandison
Let’s talk about follow up
Let me tell you a truth;
You may have lost that job you applied for because you didn’t follow up,
You may have lost that client or customer because you didn’t follow up,
You may have missed selling the item you introduced to a potential buyer because you didn’t follow up,
You may have failed to receive the help you sought for from a friend, brother or whoever, because you didn’t follow up.
Follow up is a very essential factor in achieving your goals and therefore attaining success.
Follow up simply means, a continuation or repetition of something already started or already done.
You may have applied for a job and you were told you would be called if something comes up or that you should call back after a given time. You owe it to yourself, for your own success, to call back even if you have not heard from them. You have to visit the office again and ask whether you have been considered for the employment or if a vacancy has come up. This is called follow up.
Follow up serves the following purposes and more;
1. It shows your genuine interest in the Job/sale/customer.
2. It shows your level of dedication to tasks.
3. It places distinguishes out from the loads of persons that might have shown interest in the job/sale/service or might have marketed similar goods/services.
4. It can sway the employer’s/Customer/Client’s mind in your favour.
5. It will enable you not to miss an opportunity.
When I recently graduated from the Law School and was licensed to practise as a Lawyer, I walked the streets for placement in a Law firm. It wasn’t easy, but I am glad I undertook it. Some offices I visited informed me they had no vacancy; one informed me that they did not want female lawyers; some asked me to call back. I followed up on my earlier visits. I negotiated with the one that informed me, they didn’t want female Lawyers. I asked the interviewer the actual reason they didn’t want female Lawyers and he responded that they didn’t want interference of husbands (demands and family issues) with the office work. So I informed him that I was not yet married, so he offered me the employment on the ground that I would resign once I got married. Being that I was a fresher, and needed all the experiences I could get, I accepted the offer and told him to give me two week before I could resume. I continued my job hunt in case I find a better offer.
I followed up on one that asked me to call back. I visited the office on the day I was asked to call back, after waiting for over 2 hour, I met with the Managing Partner who informed me that he needed to discuss with his partner before he would know if they would accept me. He said he actually forgot to discuss with him and gave me another day to come back for feedback. The distance from my house to the place was quite far and I was expending money which I didn’t have to make these visits, but I continued until on the fourth visit when I was accepted. Being that it was a full placement, unlike the conditional one I was offered earlier, I chose it over the earlier one and started my Law Practice with them.
So what have I been saying so far? If I had not followed up, if I had allowed discrimination, fear, self-doubt, anger, frustration or pride to stop me from following up, I would not have got the offers I got and maybe, I would not have been gainfully employed.
Please share your experience on what you have achieved by following up or what you failed to achieve or lost by not following up.
